Her Weight in Gold
by Carys Valerian
Summary: Leigh Morrison is a dreamer, and that's fine by her. It's safe to dream of magic and adventure from the comfort of your own bedroom when you're snuggled with a book. But when magic comes to life in a very real and very dangerous way, it's going to take a lot of strength she didn't know she had to get out alive. And who knows, maybe she'll manage to get that date after all.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One- Here Fishy, Fishy**

The cubicle owner beside me had just bought himself a goldfish, and he'd held an office poll to see what he should name it. I'd voted for Marvin, but Shark-bait had won with an alarming majority. I supposed it was fitting name for a fish that inhabited a defense lawyer's office,since my current employers had the reputation of chewing up and spitting out their opposition. They even had one of those trendy television commercials- dial 1-800-UWIN-NOW. It drove me crazy every time I saw it, because the stupid thing repeated during every commercial break of my Judge Judy time in the evening.

It wasn't that I didn't like my job, because I did. It left me a lot of time to daydream about being the wife of the newest- and most handsome, partner of the firm. Still, some of the cases I wound up researching for made me uncomfortable. I didn't like the idea that I'd be helping someone who was so clearly guilty get away with their crimes. But it was a job, and since most recent college graduates couldn't find one at all I wasn't going to complain. I needed the money if I ever wanted to move out of my dad's house.

I spent some time watching Shark-bait swim to and fro in his bowl on the cubicle ledge. Inside there was a plastic skull that the little guy clearly found amusing after he forgot about it every 3 seconds or so. Perhaps watching him reminded me of my very first pet, if a pet is what you'd call it. It was an event I hadn't thought much of for a long time, and despite the fact that the office was chaos around me I found myself nostalgic for the past. I ignored the handcuffed criminals and yelling lawyers that surrounded me and tuned out, left only to my imagination.

I'd been about 8 years old at the time, and had been walking alongside the stream that ran behind my house just before the land stretched into a large national park. My parents had always warned me to stay away from it when they weren't with me, but just like any other typical child, I'd refused to listen. The forest and its stream were like a fairy-land, ripe with the possibility of adventure that my childhood mind couldn't ignore.

The stream babbled and sputtered over rocks and fallen twigs carrying the brightly colored leaves of fall down its path, like little boats for the fairies that frolicked in my imagination. I followed them further and further away from my home, until ahead of me, I saw a group of boys I recognized from my school. Even though they were a few years older than me, I knew that they liked to cause trouble, so at first I was pretty keen on turning away and heading back home. I was smart enough, even at a young age to know that I didn't want to run into them if I was on my own. I'd never been very popular in school, since even at that age I was mousy and aloof- traits which I still possessed, and I was well aware of what bullying was all about.

I changed my mind however, when I caught a glimpse of a net in the hands of the leader of the little gang. Reggie was overweight with a short buzz cut that made him look intimidating. I watched as he shook the net violently with the intent to harm a squirming and wriggling fish. From where I was standing, it looked like an especially big goldfish, or at least based on what I knew about fish from visiting the local pet store every time I could convince my mom to take me.

Despite my initial fear of the bullies, I couldn't stand for the poor thing to be treated so brutally, and so I rushed towards them puffing out my chest so that I looked bigger and more confident than I actually was.

"You leave him alone!" I had demanded my voice nothing but a pale little squeak. Reggie and his cronies looked mildly amused at my antics, instead of being afraid like I'd hoped.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Reggie said, his chubby, freckled face scrunched into an unattractive smirk that made my 8 year old self shudder with fear.

"I'll...I'll run home and tell my parents! And then they'll call your mom!"

"You're such a little tattle tale! It's just a stupid fish! Who cares about it" he said with a laugh, and threw it against a rock without a care. Tears welled into my eyes and I shrieked as I watched the little fish's limp body bang against it, and slip back into the water.

"Come on guys, let's get out of here." Reggie said, clearly finished with the fish and ready to move on to bigger, better things to destroy. Without a word the other two boys followed him back in the direction of their house.

As soon as they were out of the way I ran towards the stream, and despite the fact that the water was cold and stung my legs through my jeans, I headed towards the rock where I had seen the little fish collapse. I searched for a while, hoping that it had just swam away, until I noticed its form floating a little ways away from me.

"Are you okay?" I asked it in vain. I was a kid, but I still knew fish couldn't talk despite the fact that I still prayed for some sort of response. Its mouth was gaping and open, its eyes staring blankly into the clear, autumn sky.

Lightly, I stroked its back. I'd never really been squeamish around wild critters. Living around a forest does that to a girl.

"I'm sorry I couldn't scare them away," I sniffled, rubbing my runny nose with the sleeve of my denim jacket. Somehow I felt responsible for the death of this little fish, like I had failed it in some way. I had wanted to rush to its rescue, like a courageous knight in shining armor in some Disney movie. But I wasn't strong enough to make those boys stop what they had been doing and I felt more guilty than I had ever remembered feeling in my 8, short years.

But all of a sudden I watched as its tail began to squirm a little bit, its golden eyes becoming alert and aware of my presence. It shot away at first; probably thinking that I was one of the bullying boys and that it was still in danger. I remembered my teacher telling me that goldfish could only remember things for 3 seconds at a time, and then they'd forget again, so I hoped it would soon forget about the trouble it was in and come back.

"It's okay," I attempted to soothe, lumbering after the thing, In retrospect I knew I wasn't helping the situation by scaring the fish to death, but it came from a genuine desire to help.

"I don't want to hurt you, I want to be your friend," I explained to it, as if it were actually able to understand what I was saying. Nevertheless, be it my assurances of safety or its lack of memory, the fish calmed down, and swam tentatively around my little legs until I heard my mother's angry voice coming from downstream.

I gave the fish my word that I would return the following day, provided I wasn't grounded of course, and headed home for lunch. I sneaked away almost every chance I got to visit my new friend, who I had quickly decided should be called 'Fishy' for obvious reasons. I told it everything about my school, the latest princess movie I'd seen, and my annoying older brother Frankie. We played games of tag, and hide and go seek- at least that was what my mind had imagined. I doubted the fish had any idea what I was doing. I was probably some strange, idiot giant that amused its teeny little brain. My mother eventually gave up on trying to stop me, despite the fact I'd always come home cold and wet.

Yet the closer it got to winter, the more concerned I had become about Fishy's safety when the ice froze over. He, since I'd decided it was a 'he', had begun to change color. His bright, gold scales had begun to fade, turning to become pale and opalescent. The next time I had gone to the pet store with my mom, I asked the owner what it meant if a fish lost its color, and she had told me that he could be old, or sick. The idea that my friend was sick broke my heart, and so I begged my mom to let us keep Fishy inside the house, but she refused. She'd never really cared for pets, and knew despite my protestations to the contrary, that I wouldn't clean the tank, or remember to feed him. Especially if he was sick or too old anyway. The day that the stream first froze over I was distraught.

"Goldfish shouldn't be living in streams anyway sweetheart," she had tried to soothe. "Someone probably didn't want Fishy, and put him in there not thinking he'd survive in the first place. I'm very sorry Leigh, but there's nothing we can do but remember him fondly. When you're older and have your own house you can have as many goldfish as you want."

I laughed at the memory. Because I was older now, almost 24, and I still didn't have my own house, or any goldfish. I was living at home while working every chance I got- hoping that someday I'd be living the dream. Maybe I'd even get a boyfriend.

I sighed then, slowly drifting back to reality. For some reason my reminiscing often ended along that line of thought and it was starting to get old.

"Leigh, are you daydreaming again?" The distinctly female voice of Anna, my colleague and friend said with its usual gentle timbre, despite the fact she couldn't hide her amusement. It wasn't the first time she'd caught me in such a state, though to be fair I daydreamed so often it would have been statistically improbable for her to catch me otherwise all of the time.

Anna was the office beauty, and was so pretty it was practically irritating. She had gorgeous, red hair that she assured me was completely natural, and big, brown doe eyes that were veiled in thick lashes that I could only wish for. She'd been asked on hundreds of dates from everyone in the office- from the lowliest mail clerk to the high powered partners at the law firm. She always said no though, which astonished me despite the fact she said she was previously attached. Sometimes I wondered if her mysterious 'other' was just a cover so she could avoid the chaos that was inter office dating, though I wished I was lucky enough to have her kind of problems.

"I was just thinking that it's about time for a lunch break. The excitement of Dave's new fish has worn me out. Want to join?" I asked, trying to take the attention off of my foolishness. Anna laughed and nodded before she headed back to the front desk to grab her purse. She had been the front desk receptionist for the law firm for about 2 years now, and was hired to be the face of the company to new clients- the attractive face of the company. Sheffield, Burke and Hastings was the number one defense attorney firm in the whole district, and would only accept the best for its public faces, which had a lot to do with the fact that I wasn't one of them. On the other hand, I often imagined Anna as a Valkyrie from Norse mythology or an Amazon from ancient Greece, since she had an air about her that was both beautiful and powerful.

I didn't have low self-esteem or anything. I was cute, but I wasn't one of those girls that make your jaw drop when you see them walking in the mall with impractical heels. That was Anna's job. I was the one in the mall with sweatpants and an unwashed ponytail, and quite frankly that suited me just fine. Besides, I was lucky in some respects, since she often had to deal with scum that often hit on her, I was safely anonymous- charged with researching cases, fact checking, and fixing the copy machine when it broke- because for some reason no one else could do it.

Honestly, I was never quite sure why Anna had flocked to me when she arrived at the firm in the first place, considering there were plenty of other people she could have associated with that were far more her speed then me. Yet somehow, the two of us seemed to click, and her fiery attitude complimented my more demure nature perfectly.

The two of us headed to a cute little Korean place just down the road. We liked it because it was small and family owned, but also because it was absolutely delicious. We both always ordered the same thing, bulgogi. Spicy for her, and mild for me. I was never a fan of hot foods since they made my stomach do strange things, but Anna was always more on the daring side than me.

"How's the research for the Spadoni case going?" She asked as I shoveled rice into my mouth with the chopsticks I'd only just learned how to use recently.

"Good. It's pretty cut and dry, so it's going to be all about how Paul presents the case if we want to win."

"Oh Paul is it? I wasn't aware that you were on a first name basis with the head partner's son," Anna teased. It was a well known fact, to her anyway, that I had an enormous crush on the cute son of Mr. Sheffield. Paul was one hunk of a man, with dark hair, brown eyes and a killer body to boot. He'd only just been made an associate a few months earlier. Not that he'd ever really look twice at me or anything, but a girl could dream right?

"I have an overzealous imagination Anna," I sighed.

"You should talk to him Leigh. And I mean in real life, not in one of your daydreams."

"Because that always goes so well. We both know that I become a lower life form around hot guys, and Paul is definitely no exception."

"You're too hard on yourself, love. You just need a little more confidence. Let's go out this weekend, maybe to a club or something? We can pick up."

Every time Anna suggested this, I always just laughed. Every time we went out the same thing always happened. She tried to help me pick up, but the guys she found, at least the ones she approved of, were always much more interested in her than they were in me- the irony being she actually didn't want them.

Instead of voicing my complaints to her, since she would brush them off as being ridiculous, I rolled my eyes. Anna was, for all intents and purposes, my best friend, and so I didn't want to piss her off. She had a temper as fiery as her spicy bulgogi, which she could eat without a second without another word on the matter, we paid our bills and got ready to head back to another uneventful day at the office.

"Well how about this, why don't I put in a good word for you with- _Paul_," she drawled, mimicking my voice from before.

"You don't have to do that. If it's meant to be it will be, and not a moment sooner," I said with an over-exaggerated sigh.

"You put a lot of faith in fate my friend, and I'm not sure that's wise," Anna laughed, tossing her head back gracefully as she did so, and I could have sworn she grabbed the attention of all the men in the room- even some of the women. I rolled my eyes again. I really needed to manage that habit, or they'd get stuck that way.

"I guess I keep waiting for my Prince Charming to come brandishing his mighty sword in order to slay the hideous dragon king." Anna's eyes narrowed at the comment. It was the look she got every time she thought I was being overly naive- which was admittedly a lot.

"Sweetie, you know I love you, and I love your overactive imagination, too. But maybe you should stop waiting around for Prince Charming. Who knows, maybe it's the dragon you're meant to be with instead."

As we headed out the door and back to work I gave her a playful smack on the shoulder before linking my arm with hers.

"Well then, I wonder if Paul can breathe fire?"

"We could always find out."

**A/N:** I've discovered that its remarkably fun to write in the present day. But what fun would life be without a little magic?

C.V


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two- And the Award for Creep of the Year Goes to...**

I was going to be late for my first date in pretty much forever. It was typical really, since I should never have told Frankie about it. Both he and my dad were cops, though my dad had retired the year before Frankie started, which was a good idea for them both since the two of them argued about everything- from what we ate for dinner to what we should watch on our Wednesday movie nights. The one thing that the two of them could always manage to agree on however, was being overprotective of me, and now that I was all grown up it was getting a little bit old.

My dad usually dealt with the idea of me going out with a man with fake indifference. On the outside he would play the cool, relaxed father, but the last time I'd gone on a date- in my junior year of college, I saw him patrolling the outside of the restaurant in his police car. Maybe he was so worried about me because of what had happened to my mom, and I adored him for it despite the fact that it was beginning to get a little tedious. Still I'd neglected to tell him about tonight's little excursion.

My brother Frankie, on the other hand, was even worse- because he did his very best to sabotage any chance I had to make a good impression. Back in college he'd thought it would be funny to put crazy glue in my nail polish so I'd stick to everything I'd touched for the next 10 minutes. I'd gone to the local pizzeria with Chad, my date, with the nail polish brush still glued to my fingernails. Needless to say he hadn't asked me out after that, especially after he learned that my father was the same local police officer who was casing the place for no apparent reason.

It was hard to get angry at them though, since I knew that they were only doing it because they loved me and wanted what was best for me. Ever since my mother passed away from cancer when I was 13, it was as if they didn't want me out of their sight, even for a second. In some ways, I hadn't wanted to leave them either, since dad was a disaster for a long time before he got back on his feet. I'd gone to the local college and then had gotten a job nearby just to stay by his side. And even though Frankie had made it his life mission to make me miserable when we were kids, I couldn't imagine a life without him either- at least that was how I usually felt. Now, pulling out the dress I was planning on wearing on my date from the drier, I was appalled to find that it had been died blue with ink from a pen Frankie had left in his uniform pocket the night before. At least this time his sabotage hadn't been intentional.

"Really, Frankie," I cried in misery. "How many times have I told you to check your pockets before throwing your clothes in the laundry?"

I threw the dress on the floor in a crumpled heap, stepping on it a few times for good measure. I didn't have much in the way of date-appropriate clothes, and that dress was one Anna had helped me pick out a few months ago. Now I had no idea what to wear, with less than 6 minutes before I'd need to leave for the restaurant.

I heard the sound of Frankie's heavy footsteps coming down the stairs after me until his head peaked out from the basement door.

"What's going on Leigh? You're screaming bloody murder down here."

"Only _another_ piece of clothing you've destroyed by not clearing out your pockets like I asked you to, and now I've got T minus 5 minutes before I will be officially late for my date with Paul Sheffield from work," I whined, smacking him on the arm.

"Paul Sheffield? As in the son of your boss? How did you wrangle a date with him?" Frankie asked, following after me while I ran up the stairs to my bedroom so I could look for a suitable alternative. He stood at my doorway, watching as I threw outfit after outfit on my bed in an attempt to change quickly.

"Thanks so much for your vote of confidence," I answered with a roll of my eyes.

Finally I decided on a light blue sweater set with a black pencil skirt I'd gotten on sale at Macy's. It was hardly as nice as my dress but it would do in a pinch. I knew that Anna wouldn't approve, saying with surety that it lacked the sex appeal I'd need to win Paul over, but I felt comfortable in it- and comfort meant confidence.

"I thought you said he was, and I quote,_ too impossibly good-looking to ever consider me as a potential life partner_," he said while imitating my voice obnoxiously.

"Anna buttered him up for me, if you must know," I retorted, pushing him out of the room while I changed quickly. I wasn't quite sure if I hated or loved Anna for the effort she'd put in warming Paul up to inviting me out to dinner. She hadn't told me the details, and had actually implied that it had been his idea in the first place- but I knew the truth. I doubted Paul Sheffield even knew what I looked like before he'd waltzed into my cubicle and asked me out.

No, it was Anna who had set things up, no doubt using her impeccable charm and a bat of her pretty eyelashes to get him to do what she wanted. Not that I could complain about it really, since I'd gotten what I'd wanted too, after all. Still it was a little blow to my already pint-sized ego that I wasn't able to round up a date on my own without her help.

"Why didn't you just ask him yourself?" Frankie wondered, echoing my own thoughts through the door. Since I'd finished getting ready I poked my head out to stare at him, annoyed.

"I would have mustered up the courage eventually. Anna just beat me to it."

At the mention of Anna's name Frankie sighed like a schoolgirl with a crush. Ever since I'd introduced the two of them at our Thanksgiving dinner the year before, since Anna didn't have any family nearby, my brother had been smitten.

Catching a glimpse of the clock in the hallway I practically yelped as I noticed the time. Without wasting another minute I ran out the door towards my little, white Corolla and hopped in the driver's seat, Frankie at my heels.

"Good luck little sister. You know who to call if he's anything less than a perfect gentleman," he said, and I couldn't help but grin at him despite the fact that I was a little frustrated.

"Thanks Frankie- and please don't tell dad where I am. You know he'll show up," I begged before driving off quickly towards the restaurant. Thanks to my dad and Frankie, I always knew where the police speed traps were, and it was usually pretty easy for me to avoid them while making it to La Papillon Rose, one of the nicest restaurants in town.

I had to admit that I preferred eating in local dives to fine dining establishments- give me a juicy burger with all the fixings over a chincy plate of fillet mignon any day, though Paul struck me as a bit of a fitness nut. I doubted he'd enjoy the Burger Hut's basket combo, complete with onion rings and a vanilla shake as much as I did. Besides, Anna had assured me that it would be good for me to get a 'genuine date experience,' and after all the effort she'd put in to give me the chance I could hardly say no.

I hoped that Paul wasn't a stickler for time, because I was a few minutes late. Frankly I was happy I'd managed to arrive as quickly as I did.

I rushed into the restaurant, and as soon as I walked through the door I was nearly blinded by the golden chandeliers with crystals hanging from the bottom and refracting the light in a million different directions. Once my eyes had adjusted to the change in light I spied Paul in a corner table, sipping on a glass of white wine like he was the king of the world. For the moment, he was certainly the king of mine, and my heart fluttered with the knowledge that he was there waiting for me.

I took a deep breath before heading further into the dining lounge. The poor hostess didn't even know what was coming as I awkwardly barreled past her to my table, and I had practically reached where Paul was before she figured out I was supposed to be meeting him there. Maybe she didn't think someone like me was worthy of being his date for the night, considering she played the part of the perky-blonde-hostess-with-killer-legs-in-a-short-s kirt like nobody's business. To be fair, she looked a lot more like someone who Paul should be dating than I did, so I felt a rush of pride when I remembered he was sitting there for me. It was something I'd imagined since I'd seen him the very first time at the law firm, and now it was coming true.

What I hadn't predicted, in any of the wild fantasies I'd managed to conjure up in one of my daydreams, was the incredible way I managed to trip over the purse strap of the person sitting at the table right next to the one I was aiming for. I felt like that stereotypical character in the movies, like Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed on her first day going back to high school- hopelessly embarrassed and clearly out of place as I flew threw the air before landing flat on my face.

I could hear the wash of silence as the whole restaurant turned to look at me in my pathetic position, sprawled out on the ground like an octopus stuck on shore after being thrown there by a giant wave- my legs and arms in complete shambles around me.

Mortified, I clambered back to me feet, praying to anyone who would listen that Paul hadn't noticed- that by some miracle he hadn't seen what had just happened.

Still, I should have known better. The look in his eyes said nothing short of 'great, now I have to eat dinner with the girl who just wiped out in front of everyone.' Perhaps I was hoping that he would be a gentleman and offer to help me to my feet, but that would have been right out of a hallmark movie. Men in real life didn't do that, and if they did I'd yet to see it happen. Given my track record of unfortunate falls over the past several years of my life, statistically I would have had to have met at least one gentleman by now.

Yet alas, there was no help in sight as I brushed myself off from the embarrassment and sat down on the red, cushioned chair across from Paul.

"That was graceful," I muttered apologetically to the lawyer, who appeared more annoyed than amused at my antics. I couldn't even manage to be endearing in my clumsiness-typical.

I knew I must have been beat red, so I kept my head down low, covering my blush with my hair, which hung in brown tendrils in front of my face. Anna was going to kill me, and that was if I didn't kill me first. All the confidence I'd felt had instantly disappeared into the floor.

"Are you alright?" Paul asked, and I was happy he at least had the decency to try and put what had just happened behind us, even if I couldn't.

"Yeah, I'm fine- only mortified for all eternity," I said, laughing at myself in hopes that I could lighten the awkward mood.

"Are you hungry?" he wondered politely, and I nodded, quite ready to accept the menu he had in his hand. Yet before I had the chance to decide what I wanted he beckoned for the waiter.

"We'll each have the special please, and a glass of your best white for her please," he ordered confidently. I held off the urge to narrow my eyes. I had no idea what the special was, and if he'd bothered to ask me first he might have learned that I disliked alcohol in all of its forms- not that I had anything against drinking of course, I just didn't think it tasted very good and so the calories weren't worth it.

I didn't, however, have a problem wolfing down the gourmet bread the waiter had put on the table on his next passing- I always liked it when they gave you that flavored olive oil to dip it in. I was annoyed that Paul had ordered for me, especially since I'd no clue what the 'special' was and was far too embarrassed to ask. I was sure it would be fine, as long as it wasn't shellfish since I was allergic, mildly, but still- I was a grown woman and more than capable of reading a menu, regardless of how masculine my date wanted to appear.

We conversed a little, though we didn't stray beyond the typical questions one normally asked on a date.

"How's your job?"

"Fine. Are you keeping busy?"

"Yes, the law firm keeps you on your toes. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"One brother. He's a cop. What about you?"

It was obvious that the date wasn't going well, my grand entrance may or may not have had anything to do with it, and I wasn't making any headway. It was beginning to seem like despite Anna's grand efforts this was going to be my first and last date with god-like Paul Sheffield.

Dinner arrived, and I breathed a sigh of relief when it appeared to be a nicely stuffed chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned veggies.

We were silent as we ate, and I had to admit the meal was excellent, despite the fact I wasn't quite sure what the chicken was stuffed with. It seemed that Paul wanted to ask me something though, since his brows were knitted together in thought- a habit I'd picked up on at the law firm. Finally, after taking an especially large bite of his chicken, he cleared his throat, obviously prepared to say what was on his mind.

"Is your friend Anna seeing anyone right now?" he wondered. I had to fight to stop the piece of chicken I was actively chewing from falling out of my mouth in shock. I was beginning to feel a little faint and more than a little insulted.

"Is that why you agreed to go out with me?" I asked after swallowing my food. I intended on keeping my voice light, but I didn't think I'd been very successful.

"To be honest, I thought it would help me learn more about her. She's pretty mysterious, and you're the only one she associates with at the office," he admitted. At least he was honest, though the knowledge didn't do much for my sanity.

I scratched at a pervasive itch on my arms as I fought back the words that I really wanted to say but that wouldn't be appropriate for a public place.

"Well Paul, I'd _love_ to help you out and all, but Anna insists she's seeing someone. Tough luck," I said, more disappointed than annoyed now- and really hurt, too. I tried not to let things like this bother me, but sometimes it was too hard to worry about keeping my feelings in. Plus, I was pretty convinced I had hives, since the pervasive itch on my arms had quickly spread all over my body and I noticed the red splotches begin to appear all over my arms. Perfect. Just perfect.

"Look I'm sorry to drag you out here and all, but I thought it would make her happy because she asked me to and all," he continued, digging his hole deeper than a grave. I wasn't sure if my shortness of breath was because of my anger or allergic reaction, but either way I was pretty sure I needed to get out of the restaurant pronto.

"What's in the special Paul?" I demanded.

"Pardon?" he wondered, confused by my question.

"The 'special!' What did you order me?"

"It's chicken stuffed with tomatoes and tartinade," he replied innocently. Indignant, I stood up, collecting my purse and pushing in my chair.

"Just a helpful note. Next time you try and be manly enough to order your date some food, you might want to check if she has allergies first,"

Tartinade had anchovies in it, and while not strictly a shellfish, it had some of the same proteins that gave me a negative reaction. Luckily, I had some Benadryl in the car, left over from the last time something like this had happened, and I had no reason to stay any longer. Paul could pick up the check. He could certainly afford it.

I guzzled the medicine right away and rested my head on the steering wheel of the car. If that date was any more of a disaster it would have been the Titanic. I couldn't believe how excited I'd been to finally go out with Paul Sheffield. He was an enormous let down- not nearly as charismatic in close quarters as he was in the law firm. Really, he was a little boring and overbearing, two traits which I didn't find attractive in the slightest. The fact that he had absolutely no interest in me, and was only going out with me for the sake of my gorgeous friend was the real kicker, though not surprising. I knew this night had been too good to be true even before it started, and I was ashamed at the fairy tale ending I'd imagined for myself.

With a groan, I knew I didn't want to go home. Frankie would want to know what happened, and if I told him the truth I knew he'd be furious and cause trouble like he usually did. I could lie and say Paul'd been called away on an urgent case, but that would be pathetic and would raise too many questions about why we hadn't rescheduled- questions I didn't want to have to answer.

No, I needed a way to kill time until I could safely return home without worrying about Frankie and my father judging me on my failure. I didn't think I was in a good place to drive either, angry and pulsing with Benadryl, so I got out of the car and started walking.

I wasn't worried about the danger, since I was in a really nice part of town, and continued on along the same stretch of road for about a half an hour until I arrived at an Irish pub that appeared to be rather quiet despite the time of night on a weekend. Thinking that it might be nice to get a soda to wash down the taste of medicine in my mouth, I went inside and up to the bar- not caring in the slightest that the hives on my throat and arms were still lingering. I was beginning to feel a little better though, and they weren't itching as much. I was glad I hadn't eaten a lot of that chicken, and that my allergy wasn't severe- otherwise I would have been in big trouble. To be fair though, I could only blame myself for not being brave enough to ask him what he'd ordered.

Thankfully though, the pub's ambiance was dark so my slowly retreating hives weren't as noticeable. The Drake and Firkin was decorated really traditionally, with large keg barrels lined up to the ceiling and memorabilia from England and Ireland placed on the walls messily. I liked the place though, since it felt comfortable somehow- definitely a lot more that the French restaurant had.

I went up to the bar, earning a cautionary look from the bartender as I ordered a diet soda. He probably noticed the hives. When it arrived I sipped it quickly, relishing in the refreshing sweetness of the aspartame. I knew it was bad for me, but I didn't really care. Every girl's allowed her vices.

There were only a handful of people inside. A couple at a booth in the corner, whispering quietly to one another over the dulcet tones of Sinead O'Connor, a few old men playing pool at the table in the center of the room and one man, considerably younger sitting close to where I was, though his gaze seemed fixated on something in the opposite direction. He actually seemed pretty tense.

At first, I was resolved to ignore everyone around me and just drink my soda in peace, until it was a time that I deemed safe enough to return home and avoid Frankie and my dad's scrutiny. I would be in for it anyway, but I would be better equipped to handle it after I'd gotten some rest and the chance to cool down.

Noticing some pretzels over by the other man at the bar, I was reminded that I hadn't really got the chance to finish my dinner, and I was still pretty hungry.

"Excuse me," I said, not wanting to disturb him since he seemed to be in thought intently, his head still turned away from me- tension clear by the stiff way he held himself. I couldn't see his face, but he was fair-haired and wearing a casual suit in the color of soft, butter cream- lord I needed those pretzels. All I could think about was food.

"Sorry to bother you sir, but would you mind passing those pretzels over here?"

He didn't reply, so I assumed he hadn't heard me. I tried again. I would have tried the bartender if he weren't already delivering drinks to the men playing pool.

"Hey, do you think you could pass those pretzels this way?" I asked again, noticing a definite twitch in his demeanor. He had definitely heard me, and was ignoring me on purpose. I didn't know why, since all I'd wanted were some stupid pretzels, and he wasn't eating them anyway.

For some reason, the knowledge of being slighted by yet another member of the opposite sex threw me over the edge. Usually I was pretty good at brushing this kind of thing off. People were often rude after all, and I didn't want them to spoil my day. Maybe it was because my day was already a complete disaster that the feelings of rebuked annoyance that had been smoldering in my conscious since I'd left the restaurant blew up into righteous indignation. Angrily, I got off of my bar stool and onto a proverbial soap box, getting close enough to the man that I could grab that snack.

"Look buddy! I _know_ you can hear me, but since passing the pretzels over here seems to be a bit beyond your capabilities, maybe you'd do me the favor of answering some questions for me. Is there something about me that you find repulsive? Do I disgust you in some way that I'm just not perceiving? Because you are not the first guy today to give me the cold shoulder and I'm really keen on knowing what it is about me that men seem to find so unappealing! I swear it's like something on this planet has it in for me!"

Taking a hearty handful of pretzels I stared him down, though for some reason he still refused to look at me despite the fact that it seemed he was struggling not to do so.

"Have you considered that your _attitude_ might be putting them off?" he wondered sarcastically, and I had to admit it was a fair point, though I had approached him very courteously at first and so it wasn't an excuse for his behavior. I wanted to scream in protest at his words, but thought against it when I noticed that everyone in the bar was staring at me now- everyone except for the man I was addressing.

Instead of retorting, since I knew I was behaving ridiculously, I shoved the pretzels in my mouth and took one last swig of my Diet Pepsi before leaving money on the table to pay for it.

As I made to leave the bar I was stopped by a hand grabbing my arm far more forcefully than I would have liked. I spun around on my heels to see, for the first time, the face of the man I'd just yelled at in public.

To say I was shocked would have been a vast understatement. I'd long since decided that a man more attractive that Paul Sheffield was a statistical impossibility, and were he not glaring down at me angrily I had a feeling that this guy could prove me wrong a thousand times over. I think it was his eyes, their color an indistinguishable blur in the dimness of the bar.

I'd been a sucker for eyes ever since Beauty and the Beast as a kid- that moment when Belle looks in the prince's eyes to learn he was the same as her beloved Beast really spoke to me I guess. Now eyes were the first things that I noticed about a guy, as cliche as it was- though Paul's had certainly steered me wrong.

"Look I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's just been a rough day." He just stared at me some more without given any explanation for his actions.

"What do you want?" I demanded with a shake of my head. I needed to pull myself together.

"You said you thought something was against you, and you were right," he said, his voice barely a whisper but it resonated within me all the same. I noticed it was a little accented, but I couldn't place it.

"Is that a threat?" I asked, barely able to contain the anger in my voice.

"It's a warning. Go home and stay there Leigh, you aren't safe alone any longer. You haven't the luxury to be fooling around like this."

I looked at him incredulously, temporarily forgetting how hot he was in favor of my complete confusion at the line our conversation had taken.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. You're really creepy do you know that? And if you don't let go of my arm I'm going to call the cops."

Pursing his lips, he let go of my arms, but not my gaze, and I still felt just as much like his prisoner. There was something about those eyes that troubled me, I just couldn't figure out what it was. I knew however, that it wasn't fear- even though there was definitely something about him that could inspire it, he didn't make me feel afraid of him.

The whole walk back to the car I felt uncomfortable though, like something or someone was watching me. I figured it was probably paranoia after what the man had said to me, but I couldn't shake it-turning around to check behind me more than once to see if I was being followed. It was definitely an end to the evening that I hadn't anticipated or even wanted.

It wasn't until I was safely inside the Corolla, my key in the ignition, that I recalled our conversation- realizing only then something that lurched at my insides.

He had called me by my name.

**A/N: **Happy Saturday! Thanks so much to all who reviewed this story. It's been really fun to write so far, since the setting's so different than what I'm used to. It is still definitely a fairy tale though, and that element is fast approaching so never fear.

Also, for anyone who thinks Leigh's fall in the restaurant could never have actually happened I beg to differ. It has happened to me- though I was not on a date at the time, it was still mortifying.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three- If I Had to Pick a Way to Die, this Wouldn't be it**

"I'm serious Anna. It was so bad I broke out in hives," I lamented to my friend on Monday over lunch. Work had been slow that day, and I'd deliberately avoided Paul the entire morning. I didn't think he was very keen on seeing me either- especially since he probably knew that after I told Anna about the horror of my date, his chances of going out with her had become obsolete.

"God Leigh, I am _so_ sorry. If I would have known he was going to be such a tool I would never have set you up on that date," she moaned, running a hand through her flaming hair.

"It's not your fault," I sighed. "I can't blame you for being gorgeous and mysterious without even trying- though I can definitely envy you for it," I laughed, trying to brush away the anger I felt when I had been recalling the events of the evening. I had tried to resolve to let it go after all. If Paul and I were meant to have worked out, we would have. So, the fact that we hadn't even remotely clicked could only mean that the great love I'd envisioned for us definitely wasn't meant to be. Not because something was working against me, like the man from the pub had so rudely told me, but because we simply weren't compatible. I had made the executive decision to not tell Anna about that whole mess at the Drake and Firkin. I was still wrapping my head around what that jerk had said to me, and besides, I was way too embarrassed to confess my behavior to her.

"Whatever. I know this is cliched best friend advice, but if can't see how awesome you are then he doesn't deserve you," she said, taking a large spoonful of her spicy, red-pepper soup. We'd decided on a kitschy sandwich cafe for lunch, and while it was a little pricey the food was amazing, though I still hadn't touched my BLT since I'd been so busy recounting the date.

"Cliched or not, I still appreciate it. Who needs a boyfriend anyway? I've decided that I'm going about this whole dating thing all wrong. I need to stop sitting around and waiting for Prince Charming to come to me- I'm not sad and indentured like Cinderella after all, so I've got to buck up and head to the ball all on my own," I announced, so pleased with my new found determination that I felt entitled to take a satisfying bite of my sandwich.

"That's the spirit Leigh. You don't realize just how much of a treasure you really are," she said, patting me on the head like I was a child. I rolled my eyes at her, while wiping crumbs from the corners of my mouth.

Checking the time on my cellphone, I sighed when I realized it was time to head back to work. Gathering our coats and purses we walked the short distance back to the law firm and didn't have a chance again.

The rest of the day was uneventful, despite a few near-Paul encounters that I struggled to avoid as best I could, and by the time four o'clock rolled around, I couldn't leave fast enough. Saying a quick goodbye to Sharkbait as he swam around in his little bowl, I was excited for an evening where I could just take it easy- maybe do some reading, watch a movie. Frankie had the night shift, so thankfully he wouldn't be around to pester me about my failure of a romantic evening. And although my dad was around, the hockey game was on, and he wasn't much a conversationalist when watching a sporting event. He got annoyed it when he was interrupted- mostly because every time I did so, he ended up missing what he deemed to be a critical moment in the game. He'd usually fall asleep on the couch afterwards, blissfully oblivious to what went on around him.

Since he was preoccupied, I made us a nice dinner- though I was hardly a cook I had a handful of recipes I was pretty proud of, and after eating I went to my bedroom for some well-deserved relaxation. I could trust my dad to take care of the dishes later.

My room didn't look much different than it had when my mom was still alive. The walls were still a warm shade of gold that I'd chosen to compliment my favorite painting- The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. I remember when I'd come home to see that she'd found it as an enormous wall canvas to hang over top of my bed. Made with gold foil, I still loved how it shone every time I turned on the lights and how they were reflected in the image.

When she'd first passed away, I'd taken the picture down right away. I couldn't stand to look at the last thing she'd given me before she got sick. After a while though, the emptiness of the wall began to eat away at my heart until I had to put it up again. I would have never predicted how the memory of such a simple gift from her could brighten my spirits. Now, while I'd outgrown the room long ago, I couldn't bear to change a thing about it. Even the glow in the dark stars on the roof remained right where they were.

Collapsing on my bed, I grabbed the book I was reading from the side table without looking- my hand fishing around the variety of objects I'd left there until I felt its hard cover. It was a Beauty and the Beast story, with romance through and through set in wartime era England. I was so engrossed in the tale that I didn't realize how late it had become by the time I'd finished- tears in my eyes from reading the happy ending.

With a yawn, I quickly put on my pajama's and snuck to the bathroom where I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I never realized how tired I actually was when I was reading a good book, so when I got under the covers and turned off the light, it didn't take me very long before I fell into a deep sleep.

In my dreams I was running as fast as I could from something I couldn't see. I had no idea what it was, as it cast no shadow and made no sound, but I knew I needed to be afraid of it. It was a nightmare I'd had before, reoccurring several times a year, and while it was often set in a different place the premise was always the same- I was always alone, and always struggling to find somewhere to hide. This time, I was in the forest behind my house, searching hopelessly to find a tree or cave large enough for me to conceal myself with. There was no noise save for the sound of my feet in the leaves and my heavy breathing.

I ran until my legs could no longer carry my weight and I fell into the ground with a resounding thud. Coughing, I fought to crawl into some bushes that were nearby. Even though I knew it wasn't real, I could feel the twigs and rocks beneath my body, cutting into my arms and legs and through the thin material of my pajamas. What surprised me the most however, was the fact that I could smell smoke, which had never happened in the nightmare before.

"Leigh!" my name was called out through the blackness- something else that was new.

"Leigh get up!" It was a voice that was vaguely familiar, though I couldn't place it.

"Leigh you have to wake up now!" It was true that I wanted to wake up, since I was exhausted from the nightmare, but my body didn't feel like cooperating and it seemed like the voice was fading away, back into the fear and blackness.

It felt was shaken awake, my eyes jolting open as I began to cough violently. My room was bright with light far more intense than what came from the glow stars on the ceiling and I could see the shadow of smoke rising in the distance. The sound of an alarm was beeping so loudly I thought I might go deaf at the sound of it.

My house was on fire.

Sitting upright as quickly as I could manage I made to leave the room to find my father and make sure he was awake, but as soon as I opened the door, flames from the fire leaped into the air, barring my passage. I shouted out his name, again and again, hoping he would hear me, before shutting the door and grabbing my cellphone from my dresser to call the fire department. I knew that they'd never get here in time to do any real good, since we lived so far away from the city, but I had to do something.

I tried to recall everything I'd learned about what to do in a house fire, though it was hard to think with all of the noise from the alarms. Still, I remembered that I needed to keep the smoke from coming in my room, so I rushed to jam the underside of the door with the blankets from my bed to keep the smoke coming inside. Yet, just as I was finishing I felt an enormous rumble as part of the roof began to collapse on the other side of the home- right where my father's room was. I screamed, the feeling of being completely helpless overwhelming a split second before I realized I wouldn't do my father any good if I died in here, too. All I could do was pray he was safe, and that the alarms had woken him up soon enough that he was able to get out.

The whole house rumbled again, and I just knew the fire was erupting all around me. I had no idea what it was, or why the fire was spreading so fast, but I was certain that there was nothing I could do to save anything inside any longer. I ran to my bedroom window and opened it as fast as I could manage. I had to tear off the mosquito screen before I could peek my head out to see the damage around the rest of the house, and as soon as I did I knew that the only way I'd be getting out alive was to find some way to escape from the window. The only problem was that I was on the second floor, and it was a straight drop down into the driveway. I had a feeling if I tried I'd suffer more than a few injuries.

"Think Leigh, think," I said to myself, scrambling around my room to find something that might help me get down. I thought about making a rope blanket like you see on TV when a miscreant teenager is sneaking out at night, but I didn't have the material or the time necessary to make something like that. Instead, I stood at the window trying hopelessly to figure a way out that didn't involve me plummeting to the ground.

I was just about to leap down when I heard a voice call my name again, just like I had in my dream.

"Leigh! Where are you?" Somehow, miraculously, it was Anna, though how she'd known about the fire I'd no idea.

"I'm in here! Anna, I'm in my room!" And it only took a second for her to come bursting through my door. As soon as she opened it, both flames and smoke shot through, making me shield my eyes as they began to tear up- but my friend looked completely unfazed by what was happening around her. Flames licked at her hair and skin, but they didn't seem to have any power over her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, coming towards me to give me a big hug.

"How did you get in here? There- there was fire everywhere!" I wondered, returning her embrace as tightly as I could manage. I was so grateful to see her.

"No time for explanations, keep a hold of me, we're jumping down from the window. You mustn't make a sound- do you understand?" I didn't, but I nodded anyway.

As graceful as a bird she leaped through the opening, and we landed on the driveway with only the slightest sensation of an impact.

"Anna, I think my dad is still in there. We have to help him!" I pleaded, but she cast me a look that said to be silent, and for the first time I noticed that her eyes were glowing in a way I'd never seen them do before- as if she was filled with fire herself. Maybe she was, for it was very clear to me that there was something about my friend that I didn't know- something really big.

Suddenly, she pushed me onto the ground and knelt over me while I felt a rush of air from above streak past.

"What was that?" I whispered, causing her to glare at me again. With the understanding that she wasn't willing to tell me anything I decided that I'd have to figure things out for myself. So, as soon as she'd loosened her grip on me I resolved to head for the house. There must be some way to help my father- I only hoped that he'd noticed the fire in time to find somewhere safe, because since he wasn't outside anywhere I knew he must still be in the house.

I made a dash for it, and I could hear Anna curse under her breath- but I wasn't going to stop, not until I knew that my dad was safe. It was up to me to help him, since there was still no sign of a firetruck, and as crazy and as foolish as it seemed I knew if our roles were reversed he'd do the same. My father would never have left without me, and I couldn't leave without him either. He was the only parent I had left.

As soon as the front door to the house was in sight, I breathed a sign of relief. It wasn't on fire yet, which meant I might be able to get in if Anna didn't catch me first.

"Hang on dad. I'm coming," I whispered to myself, almost rejoicing at my success at reaching the threshold.

But then I felt that rush of air again, and a deep rumbling that resonated in my bones and made me tremble without knowing why. Anna had stopped chasing me, too- her eyes fixated on something that I knew must have been behind me.

Whatever it was, it laughed, the sound more menacing than anything I'd ever heard before.

Slowly, I turned around to face the source of the noise, though at first I didn't see anything against the backdrop of the night. Then it moved, and huge, red eyes opened- they glowed bright enough to give me a perspective of its shape. It was enormous, and as the air seemed to shift around me I realized two things:

First, that I must still have been dreaming. Because second,what I was looking at was most definitely a dragon- exactly as one would usually depict a fire-breathing menace.

What I didn't expect was his voice, almost gentlemanly in quality despite the growling rumble that gave an undercurrent to his tone.

"A pleasure to meet you tiny human. It is a great pity I must destroy you upon our first meeting- but alas, such is fate," he drawled. There was a number of witty remarks I could have replied with then, and in retrospect I knew I'd kick myself in the butt for not using any of them. Still, I was looking at a dragon after all, and to be fair I didn't think anyone else would have been able to keep cool under all of that stress either.

Instead, what came out of my mouth was a serious of inscrutable gurgling noises.

"It is a shame you aren't more articulate lass, for I so dearly love to hear humans plead for their lives. It makes your deaths so much more satisfying after all," he continued, his gentle voice so out of place with his cruel words that I felt goosebumps rise all over me.

I thought that it must be a dream- dragons were no more real than unicorns or fairies. I'd been reading far too much fantasy before bed and my mind was overreacting. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time. But the more I took in what was going on around me, the more I knew that it was real, that I wasn't dreaming- life was just a lot more interesting than I'd ever given it credit for. Too bad I doubted I'd be alive long enough to appreciate it.

"If you harm a hair on her head I promise you will regret it," I heard Anna say an instant before she was in front of me, her whole body shielding me from the dragon like a knight in shining armor.

She was acting differently though, her words were as cold as ice, and I'd never heard her speak that way before. I thought she might be as afraid as I was, not that I could blame her, for this creature looked like the devil himself, with horns stretching as far as my eyes could see up into the sky. Great, bat-like wings were spread outwards, blocking out the flames from the house and the stars in the sky. It was like I was a child again, watching that scene in Fantasia that always made me look for my mother- A night on Bald Mountain, with the terrifying devil blacking out all of the goodness around him.

"And what can you possibly do to me Rowanna?"

"It's not me you should fear Donovan," she spat back.

"You forget that once I destroy this little morsel, I'll no longer need to fear _him_ either. Otherwise, I would hardly be bothered with the affairs of one merely fit to be my dinner."

"If you think I'll stand aside and let you hurt her you're wrong. It's my job to keep her safe!"

Smoke streamed from the dragon's nostrils, and it was as black and deadly as he was. All of a sudden it became very clear why it was my home was ablaze. A dragon had set it on fire.

"Yet you fear to show her what you really are. You are ashamed of it- but why should you be? We were here long before the humans were, and if I have my way, we will exist long after them as well. They are a plague on this earth, and not worthy of your protection."

"Leigh," Anna said as calmly as she could given the circumstances we now found ourselves in.

"I need you to run now," she said, and the dragon only laughed.

"Running will do her no good Rowanna. For one meant to offer her safety, you certainly provide lousy advice," the dragon laughed again, and I decided there was no sound I hated more.

"Go now. I'll be right behind you," she continued, ignoring its comment.

"I'm not going until you help my father like you helped me," I asserted, unclear as to what magic she'd used to help me but pretty sure she could do the same to help my dad. The dragon laughed again.

"See how she deigns to command you? This is what you would save?"

"This is not the time to be stubborn Leigh," she said, her voice full of warning while she ignored the black dragon's taunting.

"My father could be dying. It's the perfect time to be stubborn since I have nothing left to lose," I asserted, and she turned to face me, her eyes still glowing.

"There is more to lose than you can possibly imagine sweetie, but I'll do what you ask as long as you give me your oath that you will run first."

I wasn't sure what compelled me to listen to her. Perhaps it was how serious she sounded- how afraid. Or maybe it was because I really didn't have anything to lose by trying to get away. It was certainly a better idea than allowing myself to get toasted without putting up a fight. There was one problem with that plan however, since I was quite certain that my legs were currently made of Jello, and that if I tried to run then it would be all over. I'd be without Anna's protection any longer, and left wide open for the dragon to eat me- a thought I could never have predicted I'd have in a million years.

But when I turned and looked at my home- the only one I'd known since I was born, being burned down because of that monster, I found some sort of strength within me. I was fairly certain it was stemmed in the rage I felt at the knowledge that my poor father, as well as everything my mom had built inside was on fire.

And I so I ran. If the dragon wanted me for dinner I refused to cooperate and digest willingly. I would fight for my life with all I possessed- tooth and nail against fang and claw if need be. There was no way I was going to allow myself to be killed by a fantastical creature. That sort of thing just didn't happen to people. Granted if it happened to anyone I wasn't that surprised that it would be me.

I don't think I'd ever run so fast in my life- not that I ran much in my life to use as a comparison, but now that I needed to be in shape I regretted all those times I could have gone to the gym and opted to eat Doritos instead.

I had almost reached the entrance to the forest when I collapsed, and I blamed all of the smoke for my lack of stamina despite the fact I was well aware it was my poor shape and lack of shoes. The wind bit at my pajamas and made me shiver with both fear and cold, and at the same time I looked behind me only to see nothing there. No Anna and no dragon.

A, by now, familiar rush of air swooped over me again and I ducked, covering my head with my arms as best as I could- like it would actually help if that thing wanted to pick me up and eat me.

"There you are little one. How foolish of you to bargain away the only one who might save you."

"I'd prefer to be called courageous," I said in between pants. At least I managed to get one quip in before I was roasted.

"Ah, but what is courage but foolishness cleverly disguised? Still, call it what you'd like. Your time is up," he smirked, and I could see a flash of the teeth that would undoubtedly make quick work of me. He was quite smug actually, and since I refused to let him win that easily I began crawling away as best as I was able until my hand passed over a rather jagged rock. It cut into my skin painfully, but at least it gave me an idea. Throwing it at the dragon's nose and praying to whoever would listen that I'd be able to beat my poor baseball track record just once and hit my target, I watched as it merely bounced off of the creature's nose and back on the ground.

With nothing else to do or try, I could only hope that I'd give the beast brutal indigestion on my way down- as a last stand of sorts it was pretty depressing, but it was all I had left in my arsenal.

I watched as smoke once again emerged from the dragon's nostrils, and I could tell that it was preparing to breathe fire- probably on me. I thought of my dad, and hoped Anna could help him at least. I thought of Frankie, who'd come home from his night shift to find the horror that was left here, and I thought of my mom who'd be waiting for me. I thought of how I'd never been in love, and would die without knowing what it was like. I thought of all the things I wanted to accomplish and would never get the chance.

Yet before the monster managed to follow through with his threat he was suddenly unhinged from his feet, as if something I couldn't see had knocked him over so quickly I hadn't even noticed. Anger flared in his red eyes as he looked around.

"I was wondering when you'd see fit to arrive," he growled, spinning around quickly while his onyx colored scales allowed him to fade into blackness once again. I followed the glint of his eyes to see yet another dragon, this one so completely different from him that I wondered if they were even the same species. Perhaps they weren't, but I admit I wasn't up on my dragonology.

Still, the newcomer didn't fill me with dread, and something from deep within me felt an incredible sense of peace at its arrival- as if all of a sudden I was safe. In the light of the fire from the distance I could tell its scales were gold, and while it wasn't as large as the black one I had a feeling that its size didn't represent how strong it was. It had graceful, curved horns that shone like opals and its eyes that glowed the same color as the molten gold I'd seen once in a documentary.

With a great thwack of its tail, the new dragon knocked the black one to its side. Then, I watched as it lunged towards it with claws eager to slash at its exposed chest. It hit the mark, and the black dragon roared in agony. I saw it curl up as it writhed in pain before I was grabbed by the gold dragon- my body fitting quite snugly between his enormous talons.

"Hey! Let go of me!" I shouted, squirming this way and that until I was given a firm shake.

"Enough of that. You're already far more trouble than you're worth," it said to me in what was obviously a male voice, as it took to the skies with me in his grasp.

"Put me down!" I shouted again, using my fists to slam against his arm despite the fact I was pretty sure it was futile.

"If you'd prefer I leave you with your friend there then be my guest," he growled back as we approached the house. I saw Anna, who I'd noticed had somehow managed to pull my father from the flames of the house before it collapsed in on itself. He was coughing furiously, but he was alive, and I could see the lights of the firetrucks in the distance. Help would arrive soon- too late for our home, but at least my father would get the medical attention he needed.

"About time you showed up," Anna yelled- at me? At the gold dragon? I didn't know, but an instant later he had her grasped in his other hand and we'd taken off once more, the great, furious roar of the black dragon left in our wake.

In that moment I realized that there was only one thing left for me to do that would allow me to appropriately convey the virginal princess sacrifice that you'd so often read about or watch in movies.

I fainted.

**A/N: **And thus, Leigh's problems morph from mundane to magical. Thanks again for the amazing reviews. I've been having a tough time of things lately, and every time I get a review message in my inbox I feel rejuvenated. I know many of you mentioned you weren't sure where this was going, and you probably have a better idea now, be it for better or for worse. I'm going to be honest. I love dragons. I've always wanted to write about them and thought it would be fun to bring some of their mythology into modern day, though I admit I will be taking huge liberties with them as I usually do with just about everything. I've definitely left some clues in this chapter to make some predictions, so keep them coming!

C.V.


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